The Fork in the Road
by JMHaughey
Summary: What moment did Hannah realize Booth wasn't really for her? Hannah's POV
1. Chapter 1

**A/N Yup, I went there. Now that it's out of my system, back to regularly scheduled programming.**

**As always, much thanks to **_**BookJunkie007, dharmamonkey**_** & **_**Laura **_**from Oz. **

**Disclaimer: Zero. **

oOo

When a relationship ends, whether it's romantic or platonic, a sense of sadness washes over. You instinctively go back and re-assess the good, the bad and sometimes the ugly. You ask yourself, Was it my fault? Your partner's fault? At what moment did you know you couldn't go on? Or was it a gesture? Or a passing comment from conversation? Do you just stand by and watch it break? Do you fight for it? If you do fight, is it worth it? Will it end where you are now? Do you just hang your head and walk away? What if it's the best decision you've ever made, but you haven't realized that yet? Is there someone you will love you more? Love your partner more? Is it worth that risk? Knowing you may be a consolation prize? You have to be willing to jump.

oOo

Sure, he'd mention her. After all, they'd worked together so long it was natural they would grow accustomed to each other. I didn't ask too much about it because this was our relationship and we didn't need to rehash the past. That never did any good.

Then, he was summoned back to work on case. He told me the team was getting back together. She was coming back, too. I wondered if that is why he was so impatient to go back. But, I wasn't going to stand in his way. Hell, I'd have done the same thing.

I missed him so I flew back to Washington, D.C.. I had spoken with the press bureau there, so I could start reporting on domestic issues. I'd covered enough death and war this past year to want a break. This was a big step for me. Leaving a post to follow a man. Love or whatever this is, sometimes makes people do crazy, irrational things.

oOo

He asked me to move in. I figured it was customary to buy a housewarming gift. Our house. I asked Temperance, the person who knew him the best about what to get him. She gave me a clue. _And it will be very painful for him if you aren't as serious about the relationship as he is. _I played this sentence over and over again. I loved him, I really did. Yeah, maybe deep down I knew what his _partner_ said rang true. All of sudden, there was a moment. That Ah-Ha moment. It was just a matter time before it happened. That was a fact.

oOo

In a fairy tale, a woman meets a man. A man who sweeps this woman off her feet. In the movies, it always happens so fast. The couple meets in an exotic, ironic or funny situation. An incident brings them together. The couple is instantly wrapped up in each other. But there is always a caveat, usually it's the best friend. Whether it be the woman's best friend or the man's, always the opposite sex. The best friend yearns silently. A situation arises, the happy couple faces a hurdle. Usually a hurdle, they will not overcome together. That leads down the path of the inevitable break. In this fracture, the man will turn to his best friend, the one who carries the broom with her. To pick up the pieces.

oOo

I went with her suggestion. A Bakelite telephone. In the digital age, I didn't think landlines were used that often. I was a nomad, those lines laid down something permanent. I was at the store, looking for a phone and I had found the perfect one. It was heavy enough to knock someone out. I turned the dial and it made the tick-tick-tick sound. Perfect.

I heard her, you know. I heard her say, "You're welcome." I felt her sparkly blue eyes on us as she silently wished she'd given him the phone. I had seen that look before. She tried to be a good friend, offered advice to the girlfriend, something she stored in her Booth compartment. You never knew what information would be shared. They are little snippets of a life shared. A partnership I'd never be able to break. A partnership so intertwined no one can break it. No matter how many people came in and out of their lives, no matter how much they fought it, no matter how much they talked about it, around it and through it, no matter how much they say they loved other people, it was all just words. And sometimes, words just weren't needed.

She went to leave. He followed her. He clutched the bow.

He knew. She knew. I knew.

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	2. Chapter 2

**A/N Thanks RositaLG for the beta. **

**Disclaimer: Nada**

oOo

Our chosen professions have us fielding calls at crazy hours. I didn't think anything of Seeley heading out to check up on a lead late one night. You never know when people are going to want to talk, break a story or case, find some evidence or need help.

I knew something was wrong. Wordlessly, he shed his wet jacket and headed for the mini-bar. A shot a tequila, then another. I asked him if he was alright, did the suspect have something new to share? He looked at me, sullen and responded with a no, he'd been with Bones. The only woman capable to drastically changing his temperment.

He told me he followed her. He said she'd been acting strange, he wanted to make sure she was alright. She almost hit by car, he said, imagine if he hadn't been there to save her. What would have happened?

I don't know why he feels so responsible for protecting her. Does he ever follow me on a lead, a hunch, a story? The answer is no. Would he? That's what partners do, right? Protect each other? We're a couple. Two people; companion, lover, mate, sidekick. I suppose they are scared to define something more. I guess, I knew we'd come to this fork in the road, eventually.

She told him that she loved him. He told her he loved me and that was that.

Temperance and I are friends. We share a common demoninator. We both love the same person. Do I say something to her? Do I ignore it? Seeley is going to tell me he loves me. He's going to say he doesn't love her like he loves me. We've only known each other for seven months. They've had seven years. Seven years. If something hasn't come to fruition, then I can't imagine it would. How do I approach her now? If we going to co-exist in Seeley's life, we have to work through it? We are going to co-exist, right?

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	3. Chapter 3

**A/N Thanks for the read through RositaLG**

**Disclaimer: A girl can dream. **

Afghanistan.

The first time I laid eyes on Seeley Booth, he was a Sergeant Major in the Army. He arrested me for going into a restricted area. I reiterated by saying was following a story, the truth. He countered by saying restricted means no. There had been an attack preventing me from interviewing one of the leaders. The Sergeant Major saved my life and I repaid him. After an introduction like that, we laughed it off. He'd crack jokes about being able to arrest me, if needed.

Like any new relationship, we spent the first few months stealing moments of time when we could. Making love, sharing stories, photos and scars. After that, we came back from our assignments to each allowed ourselves to share parts of us like never before. I wonder, though, if I fell in love with him because of our surroundings. Did our love flourish because we were out of our comfort zones? Both of us left behind a life with family and friends. He left behind a job as well. Do high stress situations, dangerous and life-threatening, change the way you look at the world? Or do you just accept it and move on?

Then, he got that call from back home. He had his orders. He reassured me of his love, kissed me and left. Unsure of how to proceed, we left it open-ended.

oOo

Washington, D.C.

The next time I laid eyes on Seeley Booth, he was an FBI Special Agent. He had been sitting in a diner with his partner. As I swung open the door, he was there to greet me. God, I missed him. But something was different. His demeanor shifted; there she was, Doctor Temperance Brennan, more beautiful than Seeley described and closer than he alluded. She introduced herself to me. I could see why Seeley's face lit up every time mentioned her. I'd have to wait and see how things would worked out. Three's a crowd.

I wondered if it was mistake coming here, I know we missed each other. I know we said things and shared things in Afghanistan; the same feelings still exist but things have been altered. We weren't in the desert anymore. He assimilated back into his old routine with his partner and their team and taking care of his son. There was no way to recreate what we had. No way we can go back. They say home is where the heart is. I guess I haven't found mine yet.

Reality.

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**Song lyrics belong to Ingrid Michaelson. **


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thanks some1tookmyname for the beta**

**Disclaimer: I wish. **

We'd been off kilter the last few weeks. Temperance's confession resonated with both of us. Feelings that are locked away, forgotten about, or ignored come back. There is always going to be memory that brings these feelings to the surface. Whenever this happens, it's usually not a great time. These feelings may be of love. It could be lust or even hatred like these last few weeks.

Love is an all consuming word. Used too much and sometimes not enough. There are different kinds

of love through relationships with family, friendship, teams, colleagues, acquaintances. Love is about

connection; connection through happiness, sadness, trauma, companionship, war, survival, and just

being.

oOo

Sure, I loved him. I really did. I knew he loved me but he loved her more. He'd given himself to her along time ago. Her words were still with me, _And it will be very painful for him if you aren't as serious about the relationship as he is. _Partners protected each other, they protected their hearts. No one else would be able to break that hold. Others tried to chip at it, trying to take a piece. The piece never satisfied but it was something.

For seven months, I was fortunate to get a sliver. When the fairytale changed, when it began to seep in, I knew a sliver was all I would ever get. I had thought in time more would chip. I had thought wrong.

He caught me off guard one day. He called in the middle of the day and told me to dress up, we were going out. He said he'd see me at the mall at 9:30.

I met him at the Washington Mall, he complimented me then took my hands. He fidgeted and I knew something was amiss. I watched him reach in his pocket and pull out a ring.

I knew my answer immediately. I knew I wasn't the marrying kind. Is there a marrying kind? Do you just know? Maybe it was a good thing, a clean break. It was a way out. I knew we couldn't keep pretending, dancing around things left unsaid. Things that should have been said months before, maybe even said in Afghanistan. Had we been honest with each other? I knew he wanted to get married, I'd told him before I didn't want to. Marriage means a shared life. He already shared a life with someone and it wasn't with me.

Were we done for now? Yes. Was there a chance we could be together again? Maybe.

oOo

I turned and walked away. I stopped a little further up the Mall. I wiped the tear from my eyes, I had made the right decision. I couldn't keep going to this road. We didn't want the same things. He wanted love, partnership, a marriage and family. I wanted news stories, great sex, and the ability to come and go as I pleased.

I flagged down a cab to get back to his apartment. It was never really our apartment. I was just a guest.

I gathered my four bags, unhooked my key from the ring and placed it next to the Bakelite. I glanced one more time around this place. Collectibles, magazines, pictures, and other things I never asked about and things he never shared.

I closed the apartment door and took a deep breath. I would be alright. I was a wanderer, a nomad, the road I was walking on had twist, turns and detours.

I reached for my cell phone. I dialed a familiar number.

"Brennan. . . "

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	5. Chapter 5

**A/N Thanks, again RositaLG!**

**This is how I picture that phone call. **

**Disclaimer: Still owned by Fox**

It's ironic, isn't it? The one person I could call, the one person I could solicit advice from was the one person who would go to the ends of the earth to protect the man I was calling about. What choice did I have?

"It's Hannah. Do you have a moment to talk?"

"About what?" She replied.

"Seeley"

"Is something wrong with Booth?"

"He asked me to be his wife, Temperance. His wife. I said no. I'm just not the marrying kind."

"Why would Booth ask you if you have previously expressed your sentiments towards marriage?"

"Seeley believes love transcends all, that I know. We had seven months. Just us. We had a bubble around us, thinking we could salvage this, protect it, but something shifted when he returned and I followed. We weren't ready. I mean, what do I really know about Seeley Booth? I know he adores his son, his work and above all else his partner, you. I don't know about his past, his favorite color, his family, why he carries those trinkets with him, why he wears the crazy ties and socks; why you, the closest person to him, don't call him Seeley or why he only calls you Bones."

She stopped me. "I recall you telling me you were a couple, so you share information. Why didn't you ask him?"

I sighed. "Maybe I was afraid of what he would say." Or maybe it was because _you _already knew the answers. What was the point of sharing them? I thought but didn't say.

"I informed you that Booth would give himself to you completely. The evidence suggests you did not do the same. As you said, he believes in love." She stated as the tone of voice changed.

"I wanted to, Temperance I really did but I realized something. . . He'd already given himself to someone completely."

"Hannah. . . We are partners, close by necessity. He is impulsive; he lets his heart guide him and while I do not understand this, I trust Booth. From previous experience, I can relate to the situation you currently find yourself in. Seven months ago, we parted. I thought about him every day. I could not think of a single moment about my life that Booth did not know about. I thought I didn't have his kind of open heart, I made a mistake. I concluded if we did not speak for the year, we could come back and continue where we left off, our partnership still intact; that did not happen. I made a mistake."

"That's why he came looking for me. A quick fix, perhaps?" What could I say? I think he wanted to love me. I think I wanted to love him too. Even when we think we have our moment, a piece of it can go missing. Love requires the giving up the whole heart and that. . . that was not possible. "I know he is angry, I think you are the only person who could be there for him."

"You are correct. Goodbye Hannah." She hung up.

oOo

Sunglasses are worn to protect the eyes from the sun. Not only that they are used to cover the eyes from last night's hangover, the puffiness of crying and people. Sometimes you realize certain things are better seen without sunglasses. It's a funny thing to share a pair of sunglasses, everyone has a different view of the same thing; It's the same with lenses as all eyes are different. Gray and green lenses maintain true colors, brown causes some color distortion, turquoise enhances contrast, orange increases contrast and depth perception. Others don't wear sunglasses; they look right into the light and are mesmerized with the beauty that nature and the universe created. Some look through the lenses and think the world is as it should be, full of questions, distorted and full of contrast. And just like the sun, some people can radiate warmth and generate enough light for growth and energy while blinding others with dazzling rays they emit.

_**Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think. **_


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N Thanks RositaLG for the beta. **

**Oh yeah! HCGMTC**

**Disclaimer: Not mine. **

oOo

_**12 or 13 years later. . . **_

The President had taken the morning off the re-election campaign circuit to address the graduates at Georgetown. Since I went wherever the President did, I figured I could interview some students to gauge a reaction from the speech. I'd interviewed a few students with varying degrees earned. I approached a young man, wearing the typical black gown, his academic hood was gold, and he had a stole to denote his honors.

"Excuse me? Hi, I'm a reporter with Channel 4. My name is Hannah. Can I ask you a few questions about the commencement?"

"Sure, not a problem. . ."

"Great! Can you state your name and your degree?"

"My name is Parker Booth and I graduated with a degree in Anthropology." Booth. I didn't even recognize him. He was as tall as his father, his hair was more auburn now. His face had thinned out but there was no mistaking he was Seeley's son.

"Do you think it was mistake for the President to receive an honorary degree and speak at commencement?"

"Parks." I heard a voice call out from behind me.

"Excuse me for a moment, Hannah."

"Dad. . . Dad, over here." Parker yelled as the courtyard, full of graduates and their families. He put up his hand so his father could see him. Once in close range, he spoke to his father, "I'm getting interviwed about the commencement."

"Great! Where are the girls? Is your mother with them?" He asked then turned to look at me. "Hannah? Wow! It's been a long, long time. . . How are you?"

"I'm great, thanks! I'm the Chief White House Correpsondent for Channel 4. So, I follow the President around the campaign circuit. And you?" I turned back to Parker. "We don't have to do this, seems you have some celebrating to do with the family."

Seeley was about to respond when more voices came up behind us. I just moved to the side and watched family and friends descend on the recent graduate.

"Parks, Congratulations! We're closer to getting ice cream and pie." A brown haired, pig-tailed little girl stated. She wrapped her hands around him.

"Thanks, Luce! We should probably eat lunch first, huh?" He hugged her right back.

Another brown-haired girl approached, she looked about 12 or 13. She had that Booth grin. "Congratulations, bro! So proud of you. Love you." Another hug.

"Thanks! Love you too, Hadley. I'll be moving back home, again! Aren't you lucky?" She glanced at Seeley.

A blonde woman next to the girls started talking. "How do I have son that's old enough to graduate from college? I'm so proud of you, babe." She grabbed his face and gave him a kiss on his cheek.

"Thanks, Mom. So that makes you…?"

His mother interrupted, "Don't finish that sentence, Parker Booth!"

"We are so proud of you, Bub!"

"I know. . . Thanks, Dad. Couldn't have done it without you." Seeley embraced him son and held him for a minute. I noticed a platinum band on his ring finger.

Another voice called out, "Parker? Booth?" That throaty, low voice, I recognized it. Temperance Brennan.

"I apologize for being detained. I saw some colleagues from El Salvador. They insisted on hooking up. Rebecca was nice enough to take the girls for me. Did I miss pictures?"

"Catching up, Bones. Catching up. How could we start without you?"

"Parker, congratulations on your degree. Your academic rigor is to be applauded. I'm very proud of you." She hugged him. "I find it comical that the only child of ours to find this interesting is not mine biologically."

"Thanks, Bones! You're the reason I chose this, I've been a squint. The girls just like glitter, sparkles and princesses more." They both glanced at Seeley.

"Just because I thought Disney World was a nice break from all the dig sites we vacation at; does not mean I'm to blame." Seeley looked at his partner and smiled. "They'll come around, Bones."

Temperance just glanced at him.

Seeley slung his arm around her shoulder. Her automatic reaction was to reach up and link her hand with his. **Connection.** He nuzzled her neck and whispered something in her ear. She tipped her head back and let out a guffaw. None of them even noticed I'd been standing there while their conversations went around the circle. It's a funny thing, it used to be just them, you know, shutting out the world out; but the circle expanded, their family with them. **Unbreakable.**

oOo

When you reflect back on you life, did you do everything you wanted to? Did you have regrets? Did you travel? Did you read or watch everything you wanted? Did you love? Did you do something crazy? Did you do buy something extravagent? Did someone love you back? Did your heart break? Did you fight for what you wanted? Did you give up? Did you turn your back on something, someone? Did you stop and smell the roses? Did you choose a life a solitude? If so, why? Did you really live?

oOo

Photographs capture moments in time. Some go in shoe boxes, stored on basement shelves gathering dust. Others get perched in bookshelves or placed on the mantel to be viewed at anytime; making people smile, laugh or even cry conjuring up old mental images in the process. With new technology, pictures can be deleted with one key stroke. Of course, mental images can differ from the prints and make you wonder if you actually did remember. Some people do not take many pictures, relying on memories stored and shaped by them. Others always have a camera ready, creating evidence of events existing. Think of all the photographs that have been deleted and destroyed, think of the mental images replaced by others. Does that mean it never happened?

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